Cluster-fixture for incandescent lamps.



L J. F. FARIES.

CLUSTER FIXTURE FOR INGANDESCEN T LAMPS.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1899.)

Patented June 26, I900;

(No Model.)

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FRANK FARIES, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

CLUSTER-FIXTU RE FOR INCA NDESCENT LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,255, dated June 26, 1900. Application filed bctober 21, 1899. Serial No. 784,322. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES FRANK FARIES, of the city of Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Cluster-Fixture for Incandescent Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides a superior clusterfixture of simplified form. It is exemplified in the structure hereinafter described and it is defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a fixture embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the upper surface of the base of the fixture. Fig. 3 is a plan of the upper surface of the shell or body of the fixture minus the electrical contacts thereof.

The base 1 is preferably constructed with a recess 1 in its upper surface. A hole 1 in the center of the base admits the body-susiaining bolt 10, holes 1 admit bolts to hold the contact-strips 12 and 13, holes 1 provide passage-ways for wires leading to the'inside of the body, and holes 1 provide for attaching the base to a ceiling or other support.

- The body 2 of the fixture is hollow from its upper end downward to near its lower end, and it has a hole through its lower end 4 to receive the sustaining-bolt 10. The lower part of the recess in the body tapers downward, and a pair of contact-rings 5 and 6 are placed in such tapered portion. At intervals around the body are formed recesses 14 to receive the contact ends of lamp-globes, and such recesses are separated from the interior space ,3 of the body by partitions, which are preferably slotted, as shown at 7, but which may be left intact, except for the formation of bolt-holes therein, as shown at the right side of Fig. 1. In the recesses 14 are placed contacts for lamps of either of the prevalent types, and electrical communication is established between the rings inside the body and the lamp-contacts outside the same. On the left side of Fig. 1 a central threaded plug is shown at 9 and a circular contact at 8, while at the right side of the same figure a screwthreaded shell is shown at 20 and a central contact at 23. In both cases electrical communication is made between the internal rings and the external contacts by means of bolts, as 21 and 23, which also aid in making mechanical connections, and other bolts, as 22, complete the mechanical connections. Contact-strips 12 and 13 are fastened to the under surface of the base, each with an end projecting outward from the base, and the inner ends 12 and 13 are bent downward and form contact-fingers, one of which engages ring 6 of the body when the body is attached to the base, while the other engages ring 5. The projecting ends of the strips have bindingscrews 16 and 17, through which connection may be made with wires outside the body, and screws 18 and 19 on the finger portions of the strips provide means for making connections with wires brought into the body through holes in the base.

The base and the body are both made of porcelain or like substance. They are secured together detachably by bolt 10 and nut 11, and the upper end of the body has an annular shoulder on which a reflector 15 is sup ported.

The body is. removable from the base Withoutdetachingthelampsfromthebody. There is no wiring between the different lamp-contacts, and nothing is needed to give a finished appearance to the body.

\Vhen the body is attached to the base and the lamps are in place, a circuit is established through the fingers, the internal rings, and the lamps, and such circuit is broken. by the removal of the lamps or by the detachment of the body from the base.

I claim- 1. A cluster-fixture comprising a base, a pair of contact-fingers in the base projecting outside the same, a body attachable to and detachable from the base, a pair of rings in the body in position to make mechanical contact with the fingers of the base when the body is attached to the base, and contacts on the rings for a plurality of lamps, substantially as described.

2. A cluster-fixture comprising a base having a pair of contact-fingers, a hollow body attachable to and detachable from the base, lamp-contacts outside the body, and contactsurfaces inside the body communicating with the lam p-contacts, the inside contact-surfaces being engageable with the fingers of the base when the body is attached to the base.

3. A hollow body for a plurality of lamps provided on its outside with a plurality of lamp-contacts and having on its inside a pair of contact-rings communicating with the outside contacts. v

4. A cluster-fixture com prising a base having electrical contacts, a hollow body attachable to the base, a plurality of lamp-contacts outside the body and a pair of contact-rings inside the body and in communication with the outsidecontacts, the rings being engageable with the contacts of 'the base when the body is attached to the base.

5. A cluster-fixture comprising a base, a

hollow body attachable to the base, contact- 

